Bridgewater to hold hearing about proposed cell tower

An anti-cell tower lawn sign at a home on Foothill Road in Bridgewater near the Green Knoll firehouse encourages residents to oppose the cell tower installation on fire company property.

BRIDGEWATER — There is a public hearing tonight, Tuesday, September 21, at 7:30 p.m. of an application by T-Mobile to place a 125-foot-tall cell tower at Green Knoll Volunteer Fire Company Station No. 1 at 606 North Bridge Street.

The hearing will take place during a regular meeting of the Zoning Board of Adjustment inside the Bridgewater Municipal Courtroom, 100 Commons Way in Bridgewater.

Some Bridgewater residents against having a cell tower near their homes are asking how the Green Knoll volunteer fire company is going to spend the money it would receive from T-Mobile for leasing the firehouse site.

Other residents against the tower are offering their time and money in an effort to raise more funds for the fire company so it does not have to install a cell tower on the property to help finance the firehouse.

People in support of installing the T-Mobile cell tower are calling those opposed NIMBY's (Not In My Back Yard) and think the volunteer fire company, which is a private non-profit that provides a valuable service to the community, should be able to raise funds as it sees fit, especially in these difficult economic times when fire companies have seen a decline in private donations.